The Boy and the Polar Bear Dogs
by Wind's Gale
Summary: Based on the old tale The Boy and the Wolves. Noatak and his family live in seclusion from the Northern Water Tribe. With the death of their parents, Noatak goes against his parents' death wish and ventures to the tribe, losing his brother in the process. Written for round 5 of the Pro-Bending Circuit.


_Prompts: dialogue- "If you believe in yourself, anything is possible.", character- Iroh II, song- A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes. Word count: 1,865 Element: Fire._

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The Northern Water Tribe was a fairly peaceful tribe. They hardly involved themselves in wars or political affairs. Still, in their seclusion, they had their own problems. Social problems, mostly, but enough to make one man decide he did not care for the company of his other tribesman. One day, he and his wife packed up and left to move into the forest some ways away from the tribe. The man, Yakone, build a hut for him and his wife to live in. Everyday he went out hunting while his wife went out to gather water.

Not long after they adjusted to their new life did they welcome a boy. They named him Noatak and a few years later, they welcomed another son named Tarrlok. As they grew older, Yakone taught his sons how to survive. The kids thought he was too strict but he simply replied that it was for the best.

The worst came when they discovered they were benders. At first, it seemed like their father was angry but when he started training them, it seemed he was obsessed with their bending. He was brutal and harsh, demeaning and degrading them like they were a pet that went to the bathroom on the carpet. Their mother couldn't understand the change in her children since they kept their training a secret. Each day her worry grew, even after she fell ill.

"Noatak, please come here." She said to her oldest one day.

Her then ten year old son came to her while she laid sickly on her bed.

"I'm afraid my time here is almost up. I do not know what happened that day your father took you and your brother hunting but I know Tarrlok needs you. Your father will pass soon after I. I need to know that you will always stay with your brother, no matter what."

His mother looked so sickly. The once vibrant, youthful woman was pale and wrinkling. Her eyes well dull with the life slowly draining from her. Despite her words and the knowledge he was going to lose his mother, Noatak showed no emotion. He simply stared at the woman before him. His eyes were…

Lonely.

"Please, promise me." She begged.

"I promise, I will always look after Tarrlok." He finally said.

"Thank you. You're a strong boy. And smart. If you believe in yourself, anything is possible." She placed her weak hand on his cheek. She was cold.

Just like the house after she passed. Tarrlok grieved for weeks, Yakone locked himself in the bedroom for days but Noatak didn't shed a tear. He stopped training them and only left the house to go out hunting. The brothers took care of gathering plants and water.

Months later, Yakone fell sick as well. He was as weak and pale as their mother was previously. Just like their mother, he called Noatak to his deathbed.

"Listen to me, boy."

Noatak stared blankly at his dying father.

"There's a reason your mother and I left the tribe. The people there are weak and helpless. Heed my warning; Do not venture there. You will lose yourself and become too involved in their squabbles. You'll forget who's blood runs through your veins. You will no longer be Noatak. You'll forget everyone and everything." Yakone coughed softly and whispered. "Your mother wouldn't want that."

Noatak continued to stare. His father didn't think anything of it. He wasn't one for talking after he started bending.

"You are not to venture to the tribe. Ever. You stay here with your brother and look after him. Is that understood?"

"Yes, father."

Yakone passed away days later. Tarrlok, strangely, didn't grieve, only shedding a few tears as they buried him next to their mother.

For the next few years, they lived a quiet life in the hut. Tarrlok was content being around his brother, although he missed his mother terribly and even his father. Noatak, however, grew restless over the years. Every night, he was plagued with dreams of visiting the Water Tribe. The mystery surrounding it was driving him insane. What were the people like? What kind of houses did they live in? Did they hunt and gather like his family did?

"Brother, you seem distracted. Is something wrong?" Tarrlok asked him one day while they were outside cooking freshly caught fish. The sun had finally risen over the horizon to warm the snowy lands. The smell of the fish brought a rumble to the bellies of the young boys.

"It's nothing." Noatak said as he sat by the fire, his eyes looking as distant as usual.

"Did you have another dream about father's people?"

"I can't stand it anymore. What are we suppose to do the rest of our lives? Live out here in the wilderness for the rest of our lives? What kind of life is that? I want to do something else besides hunt and fish for the rest of my life."

"Mother said-"

"Well maybe mother was wrong." Noatak quickly said.

Tarrlok said nothing, only rotating the stick the fish were roasting on above the fire.

"I've had the same dream over and over again for years. The day I finally get to see the tribe. I'm at a lost for words at how many people are there. The smells, the sounds, the sights. It's almost too much to take in. I finally walk into it..but then I wake up. Mom said a lot of things. She used to say a dream is a wish your heart makes. Follow your heart, was another thing she used to say. My destiny is in that tribe."

Tarrlok stared at the roaring fire. The flames danced before him like it was mimicking the turmoil within his own spirit. "I don't want to go." He said quietly. "What if it's as bad as father said it was? He said they don't accept our type of bending there."

Noatak snorted. "They wouldn't have to know. We could learn all kinds of things about our heritage, do something different besides killing animals, maybe even have families of our own."

"I don't know…I don't think-"

The eldest brother stood up from his spot and left the younger brother alone. That was the last they spoke of the Water Tribe.

The next day, thirteen year old Noatak was gone. Ten year old Tarrlok knew deep down that his brother had finally left but he convinced himself that he was simply hunting. By the time nightfall set in, he knew his brother wasn't coming back and he wept for the next few days.

Years went by since Noatak left. Tarrlok continued to live in the hut by himself yet the need for companionship was too great. He found comfort in a young polar bear dog that wandered near his hut one day. It was too small to even ride. Perhaps it had lost its mother. He left food out for the young pup and eventually it trusted him enough to out of his hand. A bond had formed and they rarely left one another.

Tarrlok was almost eighteen the next time he saw his brother.

Noatak had done more than he thought he would when he arrived in the Water Tribe. He didn't just live in it, he dominated it. He worked, or rather forced, his way to chief. The tribe did nothing without his consent. He was feared and often ruthless. His father was right; Their type of bending wasn't accepted but no one could stop him. The other world powers watched the tribe carefully until one was brave enough to form a treaty in hopes to keep. Republic City sent their military to talk with Noatak.

"Republic City would like to thank you for meeting with us. We hope an alliance can be formed to strengthen both our nations."

He stood in a war room with a large, circular table in the middle. Half the table was filled with Water Tribe militia and the other half consisted of the soldiers from the United Forces. Noatak sat directly across from Iroh II. His eyes were as cold as they were when he was a kid, something that made Iroh uneasy.

"I imagine the United Forces could use more water benders on the waters." Noatak said.

"The United Forces would also be interested in helping to secure your borders and the trading route between our two nations. However, we request that the rights of your citizens be taken into account in this agreement. It's no secret how the people are treated here. We hope you are willing to improve conditions as well as the military defenses of the Northern Water Tribe."

Noatak folded his hands beneath his chin. "Would you like to join me in a hunt?" He said.

Iroh blinked. Everyone at the table was confused. "A…hunt?"

Hours later, Noatak and Iroh, as well as a few men from the Water Tribe and United Forces, were riding buffalo yaks with hunting supplies being pulled behind one of the buffalo yaks.

The first part of the hunting went well. A couple of seals were caught, killed and put in one of the sleds. While two of the men skinned and gutted the seals, Noatak, Iroh, and a United Force soldier rode their buffalo yaks into the woods.

A polar bear dog was spotted in the distance. Noatak made a challenge for Iroh to catch one. Reluctantly, he hopped off his beast of burden and slowly approached the polar bear dog. Unfortunately, the animal heard him before he was close enough to strike with a spear. Iroh watched in frustration as the polar bear dog ran off.

Noatak ordered his riding animal to chase after the polar bear dog. It was a long chase into a large field of snow. He didn't know why, but he felt compelled to hunt this animal. He could have used his blood bending, but he deemed it less fun than using his weapons.

The bear dog lead him to a pack other polar bear dogs. There was a figure standing near one of them, grooming it. He stopped his mount in its tracks. The figure turned its attention to the hunter when growling was heard.

Noatak, in disbelief, dismounted. He slowly approached the stranger staring at him despite the growls. The stranger was a male, a young man with three ponytails. He whistled to calm the pack down.

"Tarrlok…" He whispered.

He watched his brother mount the previously groomed polar bear dog.

"Brother! Wait! Come with me! You no longer have to fear the tribe. I am their chief now." He pleaded. No amount of water could wash away the guilt of leaving his brother behind. Tarrlok stared at his once-brother. With a simple whistle, the pack of polar dogs rode away. And so did Tarrlok.

It was that moment that Noatak knew he'd never see his brother again.

And for the first time in his life, he wept.


End file.
